خَليلَيَّ لا تَستَعجِلا أَن تَزَوَّدا

خَليلَيَّ لا تَستَعجِلا أَن تَزَوَّدا

وَأَن تَجمَعا شَملي وَتَنتَظِرا غَدا

وَأَن تَجمَعا شَملي وَتَنتَظِرا غَدا

My two friends, do not hurry to take provisions,

My friends, do not hasten to depart

and to gather my scattered company; wait until tomorrow.

And to gather my belongings, waiting for tomorrow,

فَما لَبَثٌ يَوماً بِسائِقِ مَغنَمٍ

فَما لَبَثٌ يَوماً بِسائِقِ مَغنَمٍ

وَلا سُرعَةٌ يَوماً بِسابِقَةٍ غَدا

وَلا سُرعَةٌ يَوماً بِسابِقَةٍ غَدا

For lingering never brings a gain,

For no day passes with a sheep herder

nor does haste ever outstrip tomorrow.

Nor is any day swift with a messenger at dawn.

وَإِن تَنظِراني اليَومَ أَقضِ لُبانَةً

وَإِن تَنظِراني اليَومَ أَقضِ لُبانَةً

وَتَستَوجِبا مَنّاً عَلَيَّ وَتُحمَدا

وَتَستَوجِبا مَنّاً عَلَيَّ وَتُحمَدا

And if you both wait for me today, I will fulfill a need,

And if you both wait for me today to finish my errand

and you will both earn my gratitude and be praised.

And expect thanks from me and are praised,

لَعَمرُكَ إِنّي يَومَ أَغدوا بِصَرمَتي

لَعَمرُكَ إِنّي يَومَ أَغدوا بِصَرمَتي

تَناهَي حُمَيسٌ بادِئينَ وَعُوَّدا

تَناهَي حُمَيسٌ بادِئينَ وَعُوَّدا

By your life, on the day I set out with my small camel herd,

By your life, when tomorrow I set out determined,

Humays gathered, first-comers and those returning.

The Nobles will be warned of my coming and accustomed.

وَقَد ظَهَرَت مِنهُم بَوائِقُ جَمَّةٌ

وَقَد ظَهَرَت مِنهُم بَوائِقُ جَمَّةٌ

وَأَفرَعَ مَولاهُم بِنا ثُمَّ أَصعَدا

وَأَفرَعَ مَولاهُم بِنا ثُمَّ أَصعَدا

And many evils had come from them,

And outstanding warriors have appeared among them

and their ally descended upon us, then went up-country.

And their chieftain has excelled through us then ascended.

وَما كانَ ذَنبي فيهِمُ غَيرَ أَنَّني

وَما كانَ ذَنبي فيهِمُ غَيرَ أَنَّني

بَسَطتُ يَداً فيهِم وَأَتبَعتُها يَدا

بَسَطتُ يَداً فيهِم وَأَتبَعتُها يَدا

And my only fault among them was that I

And my crime against them was none but that

extended a hand to them, then followed it with another,

I extended a hand against them and followed it with another.

وَأَنّي أُحامي مِن وَراءِ حَريمِهِم

وَأَنّي أُحامي مِن وَراءِ حَريمِهِم

إِذا ما المُنادي بِالمُغيرَةِ نَدَّدا

إِذا ما المُنادي بِالمُغيرَةِ نَدَّدا

and that I stand guard behind their protected households

And that I defend from behind their women’s quarters

whenever the caller raises the alarm of raiding cavalry,

Whenever the caller incites to invasion and clamor.

إِذا الفَوجُ لا يَحميهِ إِلّا مُحافِظٌ

إِذا الفَوجُ لا يَحميهِ إِلّا مُحافِظٌ

كَريمُ المُحَيّا ماجِدٌ غَيرُ أَجرَدا

كَريمُ المُحَيّا ماجِدٌ غَيرُ أَجرَدا

when none protects the troop except a steadfast guardian,

When the army is protected by none but a gallant

noble of countenance, illustrious, not lacking in goodness.

Guard, generous, ready for battle, and unmaimed.

فَإِن صَرَّحَت كَحلٌ وَهَبَّت عَرِيَّةٌ

فَإِن صَرَّحَت كَحلٌ وَهَبَّت عَرِيَّةٌ

مِنَ الريحِ لَم تَترُك لِذي العِرضِ مَرفَدا

مِنَ الريحِ لَم تَترُك لِذي العِرضِ مَرفَدا

For if Kahl, the famine, showed itself and an icy gust blew,

So if a kohl-lined eye or a blowing lock

of wind that left a man of honor no means of giving,

From the wind leaves no chance for him of valor.

صَبَرتُ عَلى وَطءِ المَوالى وَخَطبِهِم

صَبَرتُ عَلى وَطءِ المَوالى وَخَطبِهِم

إِذا ضَنَّ ذو القُربى عَلَيهِم وَأَجمَدا

إِذا ضَنَّ ذو القُربى عَلَيهِم وَأَجمَدا

I endured the pressure of my allies and their troubles,

I have been patient with the trampling of slaves and their talk

when a close kinsman begrudged them help and gave nothing.

When the kinsman is stingy toward them and frozen.